Suction cleaner



May A5, 1942. w, v PRlNcE 2,281,798

SUCTION CLEANER Filed DeC. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly 1 INVENTOR Warren VfPrz'lzce ATTORN EY .May 5, 1942.

w. lv. PRINCE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES c PATENT OFFICE to The Hoover Company. North a corporation of Ohio Canton, hio.

Application December 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,311

19 Claims. (Cl. 15-8) and improved rotary agitator for a suction cleaner. A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rotary agitator embcdying automatically adjustable agitating elements. A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner which embodies flexible brush elements subject to wear in use in combination with automatically functioning means which re-position the brush when necessary to compensate for wear. Still an-v other object of the invention is to provide a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner which embodies agitating elements subject to wear and decrease in size with use, and which includes automatic means positioned wholly within the normal agitator body when the agitator is in use, which functions to re-position the agitating element to compensate for wear therein when required. Still another object of the invention is to provide automatic means which measure the brush extension and re-position the brush when its radial extent. has been reduced by wear. A still further object of the invention is to provide a rotary agitator comprising a cylindrical body in which are seated flexible brush elements subject tofwear with use and automatic means to re-position the brush elements radially when their extension has been decreased because of said use. the automatic means being positioned wholly within the agitator body in operation. These andy other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specication and claims andupon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 illustrates a front view of a suction cleaner of modern design in which an agitator constructed in-accordance with the present invention is embodied;

Figure2 is a partial longitudinal section upon the line 2--2 of Figure 3 through the` agitator the brush positioned in the agitator body and the automatic means by which the brush is re-positioned;

Figure 3 is a transverse section upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2 and illustrates the relationship of parts with the agitator rotating;

v Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and discloses the position of the parts with the agitator at rest;

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and shows the spring means which normally urge the brush radially outward;

Figure 6 is a transverse section through the agitator and illustrates the relative position of the parts in their running position and with a worn brush in the agitator which has been previusly adjusted to its final and last radial posiion; Y

Figure? is a section similar to Figure 4 and illustrates the mechanism re-setting operation.

The rotary agitator of the modern suction cleaner comprises a cylindrical body upon the surface of which are positioned rigid beating elements and in which are mounted flexible brushing elements. In cleaner operation the surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted within the orbit described by the'rotation of the brushing and beating elements and receives from the rigid beating elements a positive vibrationand from the flexible brushing elements a pile straightening and litter removing action. The rigid beating elements of the agitator are made of hard polished vmetal which does not decrease in size or radial extension throughout the life of the agitator. The flexible brush elements, however, are normally. made of animal hairs which do wear away with use. As the brush extension decreases a point is reached at which the brush no longer functions to perform its agitating ei'ect and un- 40 less the brush is readjusted to the proper radial extension, which comprises' substantially the same extension as the rigid beating elements, or a slightly greater extension, the agitator functions solely as a rigid beater agitator.A

In recognition of this condition agitators in the past` have been made with removable brush elements and with manually adjustable elements. The removable elements were adapted to be replaced by newv elements which would have the proper radial extension, while the manually ad Justable elements were adapted to b e repositioned in the `agitator by the operator to give a greaterradial extension to a worn brush. Both types are subject to the serious objectionthat the usual comprising the present invention and illustrates 55 cleaner operator is not a skilled mechanic and does not closely observe the cleaner action, and as a result the agitator frequently functions for long periods of time in an ineilicient condition.

In the agitator constructed in accordance with the present invention the flexible brush elements which are subject to wear are combined with means which automatically gauge their radial extension and, when that extension has been decreased below a certain point, the adjustment automatically moves lthe brush radially outward to the proper extension. The means by which this adjustment is accomplished is positioned en` tirely within the normal periphery of the agitator body in the operation of the agitator and accidental brush adjustment cannot occur.

Referring again to the drawings, and to Figure 1 in particular, a modern suction cleaner is illustrated which embodies the usual parts ora suction cleaner including a nozzle I which is connected in the usual manner to a fan chamber 2 which houses a suction-creating fan 3 driven by an unshown motor positioned thereabove within the motor housing 4. The motor shaft 5 extends downwardly through the fan chamber 2 into the air passageway 6 which interiorly connects the fan chamber 2 to the noz.- zle I and, through a power-transmitting belt 1, rotates the rotary agitator 9 which comprises the present invention. The cleaner is movably supported upon wheels 9 and, as in the usual cleaner, a pivoted handle I is provided by which the operator can exert a propelling force.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 7, inclusive, the agitator per se of the present invention is clearly illustrated. It is seen to comprise 'an elongated cylindrical body I2 formed substantially centrally with a grooved pulley portion I3 and with its ends closed by end plates I4 which are centrally cupped to seat a bearing I5 the inner race of which is supported by an elongated shaft I5 extending the length of the agitator and from the ends thereof. A thread guard I1 is threaded upon each end of the shaft I9 and overlaps the agitator end to provide a protection for the bearing I5 adjacent thereto.

Helically extending rigid beater bars I8 are positioned upon the periphery of the agitator body I2 and extend from substantially common end points on the agitator in a common and well known manner. These beating elements I3 also extend radially beyond the agitator body lI2 and are adapted to contact a surface covering undergoing cleaning which is lifted by the nozzie suction. Cooperating with the rigid beating elements I8 are brushes I9 which are axially extended and each of which comprises a rigid back 20 in which are mounted a series of brush tufts 2|. Brushes I9 are positioned within brush seats 22 formed interiorly of the agitator body I2, the side walls of the brush seats 22 being spaced from the brush tufts 2| which extend radially beyond the normal periphery of body I2 to a distance substantially kequal to the radial extension of the rigid beater elements I3.

It is the brush elements I9 which are subject to wear in use and to provide for this wear and to compensate therefor brush adjusting.

means are provided within the agitator body. The brush adjusting mechanism includes a brush carrier 24 which is a plate like member extending parallel to the bottom of the brush seat 22, provided at its ends with axially projectingpins 25 which extend beyond the ends of the brush l trigger ably secured, to the carrier 24 by manually removable screws 25.

Positioned immediately adjacent each end wall of each brush seat 22, and rotatably mounted upon an elongated pin 21, is a rotatable cam 28 formed in its periphery with a plurality of seats 29 for the pin 25. The pin 25 at each end of the brush carrier 24 is pressed against the adjacent cam 23 by the action of a pair ofcrved leaf springs 33 which are carried by the interior of the 4agitator body I2 and which extend into the brush seat 22 to contact the underside of the brush carrier 24 to urge that member, together with the brush carried thereby, radiallyoutward.

The radial position of the brush in the seat is determined by the radial position of the brush carrier which is itself dependent upon the contact of its pins 25 with the cams 23. Pairs of pin seats 29 in the cams at the opposite ends of each brush seat are at the same radial distance from the axis of cam rotation, comprising the elongated pin 21, and each pair is at a lesser radial distance advancing clockwise around the cams as viewed in Figures 3 and 4. It is clear that by the rotation of the cam at each end of the brush seat the brush carrier pin 25 can be advanced from one pin seat 29 to'an adjacent pin seat to give the brush carrier and the carried brush a greater radial extension.

The determination that the brush element should be adjusted radially to compensate for brush wear is accomplished by an 'elongated trigger or feeler 32 which extends the length of the brush and which includes side arms 33 at its end which are pivoted substantially midway of their length upon the elongated pins 21. At their inner ends .the arms 33 and carry a counterweight 34 which, in the rotation of the agitator at its normal speed, exerts a centrifugal force which overcomes the weight of the trigger 32 and-withdraws it radially inward; the counterweight 34 in this movement also acts against the coil spring 35 mounted on the outer pin 21 of each b rush seat. With the agitator standing, however, the force of the spring 35, which at one of its ends contacts a rigid shoulder 36 formed on the brush seat, and at its opposite end contacts the trigger arm 33, moves the curved pivoted 4trigger 32 radially outward 4through a slot provided therefor in the agitator body until the trigger bears against the side of the brush tufts 2l at their extremities. If the tufts are of proper length trigger 32 contacts the side thereof and has its pivotal movement limited to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 3. If, however, the brush bristle length has been. decreased by. wear so that the trigger member is able to slide over the top thereof, as illustrated in Figure 4, then the trigger 32 pivots 'through a greater angle under the urging of the coil spring 35 to the position illustrated in Figure 4. It is this difference in the angularity assumed by the 32 with thevagitator at rest under the two conditions just described that indicatesthe need for, or the absence of the need for, adjustment of the brush.

To utilize this variation in feeler or trigger angularity to accomplish brush adjustment, there is provided a ratchet wheel 31 upon the pinv 21 which ratchet-isvfixed to the cam 23 for c conjoint rotation therewith. Ratchet 31 is proseat 22. The back 20 of the brush is remov- 75 vided with peripheral teeth 33 the angular arrangement and spacing of which conforms to are connected by pressure exerted by thev erating with the ratchet l31 is a pivoted pawl 40 upon each side arm 33 of the trigger 22 which pawl is pressed into contact with the ratchet lby a coil spring 4I enclosing the pivot pin 42 upon which the pawl is pivoted. The ratchet and pawl construction at each end oi' each brush seat is identical.

The operation of the brush adjustment constructed in accordance with the present invention is as follows:

With a new full length brush in the agitator the brush and its carrier 24 will be positioned at the innermost radial position in the brush seat 22. Each brush positioning cam 28 will be so positioned that its seat 29 at the greatest radial distance from its`rotational axis, comprising the pin 21. is in contact with the brush carrier pin 25. This relationship will exist at each end of the brush seat.- With the agitator rotat- The above described adjustment will repeat to a number determined by the design. the exact number of adjustments not being o! the essence of the invention. After the final adjustment has been made, however, and the brush has continuedv to be used so that a further adjustment is r fr quired in order to obtain effective brushing, it is ing the relationship of parts will be as illustrated in Figure 3 and it is to be noted that the counterweight 34 acting through its supporting arm 33 has pivoted the feeler or trigger 32 inwardly into the agitator body.

Upon the cleaner being placed out of operation the rotation of the ,agitator ceases and immediately, under the pivoting action of the coil springs 35, each trigger 32 moves outwardly through the agitator body and -contacts the side of the brush tufts 2l throughout the length of the brush i3. With the brush new the radial extension will be such that the trigger will, as stated, contact the side of the brush tufts, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3, and the pivotal movement of the trigger 32 and the arms 33 will not be sumcient to permit the spring pressed pawl 40 at each end of the brush to move into contact with the second tooth 38 ofl the ratchet 31. When the cleaner is again placed necessary to replace the worn' out brush by a new brush and to reset the positioning mechanism. This substitution of a new brush and the re-positioning of the adjusting mechanism is a simple operation. The operator, by the use of a screw driver removes the brush-securing screws 26 and substitutes for the worn out'brush I9 a new brush having full length bristle tufts 2l. The operator then pivots inwardly into the agitator body the curved teeler member 32 and uncovers near each end of the brush a small screw 44 which forms a part of the agitator construction adjacent the adjusting mechanism. 'I'hese screws he removes by the same screw driver with which he secured the new brush in place and upon their removal small apertures are provided into the interior of the agitator body, as illustrated in Figurel 7. Through each of these apertures a small tool 45 is inserted which passes downwardly and into contact with anotch 46 formed upon the pawl 40. Suiiicient force is exerted upon the tool 45 to 'overcome the force of spring in operation and the centrifugal weight 34 swings the trigger unit in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3 to withdraw the trigger into the yagitator body, the pawl 40' will merely slide along the ratchet 31 back to the iirst tooth 38 and no rotation of the ratchet or the cam 28 connected thereto will take place.

After the cleaner has been used for a considerable period of time, however, the brush bristle length has decreased and upon the agitator being stopped and the trigger being pivoted outwardly under the spring force of the spring 35, the trigger will pass beyond the side of the brush tufts, its new brush position being illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3, and will extend over the brush, as illustrated in the worn brush position in Figure 4. This greater angular movement of the trigger unit is suilicient to permit the pawl 40 to slide into contact with the second tooth of the ratchet 31 so that when the agitator is again rotated and the trigger unit pivoted under the centrifugal force exerted by the counterweight 34 the pawl 40 will cause the ratchet 31 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction so that the second cam seat 29 is brought into contact with the brush carrier pin 25. The leaf springs 30 through urging the brush carrier and the carried brush radially outward will urge the pin 25 against this new seat of the cam'which will result in the agitator brush being positioned at a greater radial distance and with a greater radial extension.

The identical action takes place at each end of each brush so that the two ends are simultaneously adjusted.

4i acting upon the pawl and to pivot it from the ratchet 31. While holding the pawls in this displaced position the operator then exerts an inward radial force upon the new brush for the purpose oi? moving the brush carrier pins 25 downwardly from contact with the cam 28. With the pins 25 removed from the cams 28 and with the pawls 40 out of contact with the ratchets 31, each ratchet cam unit 31, 28 pivots in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 3, 4 and 7, under the action of a small spring 48 which seats upon the elongated pin 21 adjacent the principal coil spring 35. One end of this small spring abuts against the agitator body while the other end contacts the ratchet-cam unit. The ratchet-cam unit is rotated until the cam 28 contacts the pin 25 which is positioned by the brush carrier being held to the bottom of the brush seat. The operator then releases the brush winch is then forced radially outward by the flat springs 30 so that the pins 25 seat against the new brush seat 29 in the cam. The tool 45 is then Withdrawn and the agitator upon being re-inserted into the cleaner nozzle in the proper relationship is ready for use.

I claim:

1. A. rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like including an agitating element subject to wearv in use, means automatically to adjust said element radially to compensate for wear including a gauge to measure the radial extension of said element and to control said adjusting means, and means to rotatably support said element and said adjustment means.

2. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like including an agitating element subject to wear in use, means automatically to adjust said element radially to compensate for wear including means to move said element radially upon the rotation of the agitator and a gauge to measure the radial extension of said element with the agitator at rest and to control said moving means, and means to rotatably support said element and said adjustment means.

3. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like, a rotatable body, an agitating element subject to wear with use mounted ,in said body and movable radially relative thereto, a gauge element normally positioned within said body during the rotation thereof and movable to measure the radial extension of said agitating element with the agitator standing, and means to return said gauge element to within said body upon the rotation thereof and to adjust said brush radially according to the findings of said gauge element.

4. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like, a rotatable body, a brush element seated in said body and including bristles extended radially therebeyond, a step-by-step adjustment to move said brush radially outward, and a gauge element movably mounted within said body to measure the radial extension of said element and operatively connected to and adapted to control said step-by-step adjustment.

5. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like, a rotatable hollow body, a radially movable brush mounted in said body, and means to adjust said brush radially automatically to compensate for wear including: a brush carrier, cam means determining the radial position of said carrier,agitator-rotation-operated means to adjust said carrier radially and a gauge to determine the radial extension of said brush by contact therewith and to control said agitator-rotation-operated means.

6. In a rotary agitator for asuction cleaner or the like, a rotatable hollow body, a radially' movable brush mounted in said body, and means to adjust said brush radially automaticalhr to compensate for wear including: a brush carrier, a rotatable cam controlling the radial position of said carrier in said body, a ratchet secured to and rotatable on said cam, a pawl to rotate said ratchet, a trigger to contact the extremity .of said brush and to advance said pawl relative to said ratchet upon a predetermined decrease in the radial extension of said brush, and centrifugal means to withdraw said trigger Within said body and to exert a ratchet-rotating force through said pawl upon the rotation of'said agitator to rotate said cam.

7. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or the like, a iotatable hollow body, a radially movable brush mounted in said body, and means to adjust said brush radially automatically to compensate for Wear including: a brush carrier, a rotatable cam controlling the radial position of said carrier, a step-by-step adjustment to rotate said cam, a gauge to determine the radial extension of said brush element and to set said step-by-step adjustment for operation upon a predetermined decrease in the radial extension of said brush, and means to actuate said stepby-step adjustment.

8. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner or similar device, a rotatable body, Ia brush element carried by said body and subject to decrease in radial extension with Wear in use, a gauge extended beyond said body when standing and having its position determined by the extension of said brush element, means to adjust said brush element radially operatively positioned by the movement of said gauge to a worn-brush position, and means to withdraw said gauge within said body and to actuate said adjustment means uponthe rotation of said agitator.

9. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitating element subject to decrease in size with wear, means rotatably supporting said element, means automatically to gauge the radial extension of said element, and means controlled by said gauge automatically to adjust said element radially after `said gauge determines a wom-brush condition.

10. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitating element subject to decrease in size with wear, means rotatably supporting said element, automatic means to measure the radial extension of said element in a non-rotating condition, and centriiugally operated means controlled by said gauge automatically to adjust said brush upon rotation and upon said gauge determining a wom-brush condition.

11. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a rotatable body, a brush seated in said body and extended radially therebeyond, a gauge in said body, means to project said gauge through said body to determine the radial extension of said brush with the agitator standing, means to move said brush radially controlled by said gauge, and centrifugal means operative upon the rotation of the agitator to withdraw said gauge within said body and to actuate said brush moving means.

l2. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner including a rotatable body, a brush element subject to wear in use, a gauge carried Iby said body to determine by direct measurement the presence or absence of a proper brush adjustment, means to move said brush including parts positioned by said gauge, and. means to operate said means to adjust said last-mentioned brush.

1'3. In a rotary agitator for suction cleaners, a brush element subject to decrease in radial extension with use, and means to adjust said element radially to compensate for wear including means controlled directly by the radial extension of said element.

14. A unitary removable rotary agitatorior suction cleaners comprising the following, an agitating element subject to decrease in size with use, means to detect the decrease in size of said agitating element to a predetermined limit by direct measurement, and means operative only after said iirst-mentioned means detects a decrease in size to said predetermined limit to adjust said element relative to the axis of rotation to compensate therefor.

15. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, an agitating element subject to decrease in radial extension with use, means to measure the radial extension of said element upon said agitator coming to rest following rotation, means to move said element radially outwardly controlled by said measuring means, and means to move said measuring means to inoperative position and to actuate said element moving means upon rotation, the latter being eiective to adjust said element radially under the control of said measuring means.

16. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner comprising a rotatable hollow cylindrical body, a brush movable radially relative to the axis of rotation of said body, means to move said brush radially outward including a centrifugally operated element movable between a brush adjustment position and a second position, gauge means to determine the radial extension of said brush and controlling the movement of said centrifugally operated element into its brush adjustment position, said gauge means placing said centrifugally operated element in brush adjustment position upon determining a predetermined decrease in radial extension of said brush.

17. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner comprising a rotatable hollow cylindrical body, a

brush seat in said body, cam means controlling the radial position of said lbrush inA said seat, a step-by-step adjustment controlling the position of said cam and including a movable element, a feeler operative upon said agitator stopping rotation mounted in said body and movable therethrough into contact with the extremity of said brush with optimum brush extension and adapted to move over said brush with said brush at a lesser extension, said feeler controlling the movement of said movable element to a position. for

adjustment operatlo spring means urging said feelerA outwardly to brush-contacting position and centrifugal means to move said feeler and said movable element to operate said step-by-step adjustment.

18. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a rotatable body, a brush seated in said body and extended radially therebeyond, a gauge in said body, means to project said gauge through said body to determine the radial extension `of said brush with the agitator standing, means to move said brush radially step-by-step controlled by said gauge, centrifugal means operative upon the rotation of the agitator to withdraw said gauge within said body and to actuate said brush moving means, characterized by the fact that said rotatable body is provided with an aperture adapted to receive a tool to re-set said brush-moving means.

i9. In a rotary agitator for a suction cleaner, a hollow rotatable body, a brush seated in said body and radially adjustable, and means to measure the radial extension of said brush and to adjust said brush including: a brush carrier, a cam to advance said carrier radially, a ratchet connected to said carrier to actuate same, a

spring-pressed pawl operatively associated with said ratchet to actuate same, a brush gauge carrying said pawl and movable to determine the radial extension of said brush, and agitatorrotation-operated means to move said gauge to Patent No.` 2,281,798..

' CERTIFICTE oF CORRECTION.

, -Hay v5, 19LL2. wARREN V. PRINCE.

It inheroby certified lgusnsA error appears in lthe printed specification' ofthe above numbered.v patent requiring-correction as follows: Pgs 1;, second column, line 51, c1a1m12, strike out*"last-mentzloned" and insert the` same after said eind befor "negn" in line 50, saaie claim; .and l31nd: the

said Lettve'rs Patent 'should be'Aread withthis' correction therein tha-t the same may conform to the record o f the case in the Patent Office.

sggged' and sealed this mth myl of Ju1y,zA. D. 1942.

f l @Henry van 1x1-saaie', (S'e'al) Acting-iv Col'mni'ssionei of Patents. 

